Impact-operated flow control device



Get. 1, 1963 c. BEEBY 3,

IMPACT-OPERATED FLOW CONTROL DEVICE Filed June 22, 1961 INVENTOR CECIL BEEBY ORNEY United States Patent 3,105,506 IltilPACT-QIPERATED FLOW CBN'IRSL DEVICE Cecil Beeby, Utica, N.Y., assignor to The Bendix Corporation, Utica, N.Y., a corporation of Delaware Filed June 22, 19161, er. No. 118,910 8 Ciaims. (ill. 137-38) This invention relates to flow control devices which are adapted to be operated at impact after a fall and more particularly concerns such a flow control device wherein, after an element moves at impact, a highly-pressurized fluid establishes a flow path.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved flow control device operable at impact after being dropped into water from an aircraft which device is reliable, has few parts and is easy to mass produce.

A further object is the provision of a flow control device operable at impact in which a pressurized fluid ruptures a thin-walled tube.

Another object is the provision of an improved flow control device having a relatively heavy slug element cooperating with means which restnains a pressure-rupturable flow path.

An additional object is to provide a flow control device having a thin-walled tube for pressurized gas and a heavy slug movable upon impact after the device is dropped whe ein the slug and releasible means normally prevent gas from rupturing the tube.

The realization of the above objects along with the advantages and features of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawing.

The single view on the drawing is a cross-sectional side showing of the control device embodying the present invention and shows a spring-biased, vertically-arranged slug adapted to move upon impact after the device is dropped, an axial, thin-walled tube above the slug adapted to contain a high-pressured fluid, and releasible means between the top of the slug and the tube whereby on impact the tube will be ruptured.

Referring to the drawing, a tubular housing 11 has a bottom wall 31 and a top plug 15 brazed in the top of the housing. Plug 15 has inlet tube 17 brazed to an axial bore passage 19 in plug 15. The bottom end of the plug 15 has a downwardly projecting boss 21. A thin-walled burst tube 23 projects downwardly from boss 21 into slug cavity 25. The burst tube 23 which is mounted by silver soldering in the axial bore 19 of plug 15 is constructed to burst or rupture if subjected to a high fluid pressure for example in excess of three hundred pounds per square inch absolute. In a particular design, the burst tube 23 was intended for use with the inlet 17 connected to either a liquid oxygen bottle or a liquid hydrogen bottle which are part of a fuel cell for a sonar buoy. in this case, the operating pressure was eight thousand pounds. Tube 23 has a plug 27 silver-soldered in the bottom thereof which remains fixed under the force of the high pressure fluid to provide a closed-end tube.

At the circular outer surface of burst tube 23 above plug 27 and below the end of boss 21, two half sleeves 2-9 are provided and snugly fit against tube 23. Half sleeves 29 are normally prevented from radial movement by a ring or plurality of ball bearings 31 abutting the vertical mid-point of half sleeves 2%. Balls or spherical elements 31 are positioned in an annular recess 33 having an annular inwardly-curved bottom ledge shoulder 35 which is formed in the top of a G slug 37. 1 This relatively-heavy slug 37 has an annula projection 39 providing annular recess 33 and an axial guide bore 41 below half sleevm 29 which receives the plugged end of burst tube 23. At the top of guide bore 41, a shoulder "ice 43 is formed in the central body part 45 of slug 37 and the bottom of half sleeves 33 are received therein. It is apparent that, if slug 37 moves downwardly, balls 31 will clear body part 45 and annula projection 39 of slug 37 and can move laterally. When the radial restraint of balls 31 is removed, burst tube 23 can rupture propelling half sleeves 33 laterally. It is to be noted that balls 31 will be firmly wedged against tube 23 by the inwardlycurved annular ledge 35 and will radially confine at many points to give uniform restraint. Vertical movement of G slug .37 will be guided by balls 31 and the riding surface of the plugged end of tube 23 received in guide bore 411. Bore 41 also facilitates assembly.

The G slug 37 has a lower, depending rod 47 which depends from the larger-diameter central body part 45. A shoulder 49 is formed at the juncture of rod 47 and body part 45. A relatively-stiff spring 51 is confined at the top by shoulder 49 and at the bottom by bottom wall 13 of tubular housing 11. Spring 51 surrounds slug rod 47 and is constructed to prevent rod 47 from hitting bottom wall 13 under extreme G forces. The bottom of slug rod 47 is spaced from bottom wall 13 a distance appreciably greater than the height of projection 39. With this spacing, it is apparent that the annular projection 39 at the top of the slug 37 can adequately clear the bottom of half sleeve 29 when subject to the forces resulting from impact which would cause slug 37 to move downwardly against spring 51. This momentum-operated slug 37 is loosely-mounted in tubular housing 11 so that an annular flow path exists between the inner surface of housing 11 and the side surface of the slug 37 at projection 39 and body part 45. An outlet 53 is formed in tubular housing 11 and can be connected to a regulator. Outlet 53 provides a flow path from the lower interior of tubular housing 11 below the body part 45 of slug 37. Spring 51 and slug 37 are selected so that a significant impact is required before rest-raining half sleeves 29 are released due to movement of slug 37. In other Words, the arrangement is such as to prevent release of half sleeves 29 and rupture of tube 23 due to an inadvertent fall in handling. If the momentum is not derived from a drop from a significant height, the slug 37 will not move suii'iciently to release restraining half sleeves 29.

In operation, the impact-released flow control device of the present invention will be part of a unit adapted to be dropped and will be connected by inlet 17 to a pressurized bottle or container. In some units, outlet 53 will be connected to a regulator. The bottle and regulator can be part of a sonar buoy or floating station which is dropped from an aircraft into the water, giving a sudden restraint to the bottom of the unit and hence to the bottom of tubular housing 11. G slug 37 thus will have sufiicient momentum to move downwardly against spring 51, being guided centrally thereby. Balls 31 roll down outside of restraining split half sleeves 29 to clear the bottoms of half sleeves 29. The necessary downward movement of slug 37 which required a predetermined momentum to act against the stillness of spring 51 approximates the height of the half sleeves 29. With no back-up through balls 31 and the annular projection 35? of slug 37, half sleeves 29 are propelled laterally as the thin walled tube 23 bursts under the pressure force of the pressurized gas. Flow of the pressurized gas from ruptured tube 23 will then occur over and around the top projection 39 of slug 37 to the annular passage at the side of body part 45 of the slug and to the outlet 53 connected to the bottom interior of tubular housing 11. The half sleeves 29, boss 21 and ruptured tube 23 will normally prevent an upward return of the slug 37 whereby the tube 23 might be squeezed closed or blocked. Projection 39 by abutting plug 15 in any event limits the upward movement of slug 37 so that the body part 45 will be spaced from' boss 21.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that an improved flow control device has been provided which releases a high-pressurized gas upon impact and that the simple arrangement of few parts gives reliable operation and ease in mass production. The device, of course, can be dropped into wells or onto land respectively as part of a treatment unit or a fire extinguisher or other impact unit having a pressurized fluid.

It is to be understood that the specifically disclosed embodiment of the invention can be changed by persons skilled in the art without departing from the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A flu-id flow control device for permitting flow upon impact after being dropped comprised of housing means providing fluid inlet means and a cavity arranged below said inlet means, rupturable means projecting into said cavity and constructed to be ruptured by high pressure, momentum-operable means vertically-mounted in said cavity, movable restraining means contacting said rupturable means and normally cooperating with said momentum-operable means to prevent rupture of said rupturable means, said restraining means being releasible when said momentum-operable means moves downwardly to permit rupture of said rupturable means, outlet means connected to said cavity whereby on impact said momentumoperable means will be moved to release said restraining means for rupture of said rupturable means and a flow from inlet means to said outlet means results.

2. A fluid flow control device 'for perm tting flow upon impact after being dropped comprised of housing means roviding fluid inlet means and a slug cavity arranged below said inlet means, a ruptura'ble means projecting into said slug cavity and constructed to be ruptured by high pressure, a momentum-operable slug verticallymounted in said cavity, movable restraining means cooperating with the top of said momentum-operable slug arranged to prevent rupture of said ruptura ble means, said restraining means being movable when said slug moves downwardly to permit rupture of said rupturable means, outlet :means connected to said slug cavity whereby on impact said slug will be moved to release said restraining means for rupture of said rupturable means and a flow from inlet means to said outlet means results.

3. A fluid flow control device for permitting flow upon impact after being dropped comprised of housing means providing fluid inlet means and a slug cavity arranged below said inlet means, a rupturable means projecting into said slug cavity and constructed to be ruptured by high pressure, a momentum-operable, spring-biased slug vertically-mounted in said cavity having a top annular projection, said spring-biased slug requiring a significant momentum to move a predetermined distance, movable restraining means cooperating with the top projection of said momentum-operable slug arranged to prevent rupture of said rupturable means, said restraining means including radial movable means arranged when said top projection of said slug moves said predetermined distanc downwardly to permit rupture of said rupturable means and to be moved thereby, said rupturable means being a thin-walled, closed-end tube, outlet means connected to said slug cavity whereby on impact said slug will be moved to release said restraining means for rupture of said rupturable means and a flow from inlet means to said outlet means results.

4. A fluid flow control device for permitting flow upon impact after being dropped comprised of housing means providing a fluid inlet and a vertically-arranged slug cavity arranged below said inlet, -a momentum-operable slug mounted in said slug cavity, a closed-end, thin-wa1led tube constructed to be ruptured by high pressure and projecting from said inlet means into said slug cavity, releasible means at the top part of said slug constructed to prevent rupture of said thin-walled tube by pressurized fluid Within said tube by providing radial restraint, said releasible means being operable when said slug moves downwardly upon impact to remove radial restraint flom said tube, outlet means connected to said slug cavity whereby on impact said slug Will be moved to release said releasible means for rupture of said tube and a flow between said inlet and said outlet means results.

5. A fluid flow control device for permitting flow upon impact after being dropped comprised of housing means providing a vertically-arranged fluid inlet and a slug cavity arranged below and coaxially to said inlet, a momentum-operable slug vertically-mounted in said slug cavity, a spring biasing said slug toward said inlet, a closed-end, thin-walled tube constructed to be ruptured by high pressure and projecting from said inlet into said slug cavity, two half sleeves contacting said rupturable tube and constructed when radially restrained to prevent rupture of said tube, means at the top part of said slug constructed to prevent rupture of said thin-walled tube by pressurized gas Within said tube byproviding radial restraint to said sleeves, said means being operable when said slug moves downwardly upon impact to remove radial restraint on said sleeves, outlet means connected to said slug cavity whereby on impact said slug Will be moved to release said means and thereby said sleeves for rupture of said tube.

6. A fluid flow control device for permitting flow upon impact after being dropped comprised of housing means providing :a vertically-arranged fluid inlet and a slug cavi-ty arranged below and coaxially to said inlet, a momentum-operable slug vertically-mounted in said slug cavity, a spring biasing said slug toward said inlet, a closedend, thin-walled tube arranged to be ruptured by high pressure and projecting from said inlet into said slug cavity, two half sleeves surrounding and contacting said thinwalled tube, a ring of spherical elements contacting said sleeves, said spherical elements being received in an annular recess, said thin-walled tube having a plug in the bottom end, the bottom end of said tube being received in an axial guide bore in said slug, a peripheral annular projection at the top of said slug, said projection terminating above said sleeves and providing said annular recess, outlet means connected to said slug cavity whereby on impact said slug and balls will be moved to release said sleeves for rupture of said tube and for flow through the device.

7 A fluid flow control device for permitting flow upon impact after being dropped comprised of housing means providing a vertically-arranged fluid inlet surrounded by a downwardly projecting boss and a slug cavity arranged below and coaxially to said inlet, a momentum-operable slug vertically-mounted in said slug cavity, a spring biasing said slug toward said inlet, a closed-end, thin-walled tube arranged to be ruptured by high pressure and projecting from said inlet into said slug cavity, two half sleeves surrounding and contacting said thin-walled tube, a ring of balls contacting said sleeves, said balls being received in an annular recess having an inwardly-curved bottom ledge at the vertical mid-point of said sleeves, said thin-walled tube having a plug in the bottom end, the bottom end or" said tube being received in an axial guide bore in said slug, said sleeves extending between said guide bore and said boss, a peripheral annular projection at the top of said slug, said projection terminating above said sleeves and providing said annular recess, said projection being arranged to limit the return of said slug and terminating above said sleeves and above the bottom of said boss, outlet means connected to said slug cavity whereby on impact said slug and balls will be moved to release said sieves for rupture of said tube and for flow to said outlet means.

8. A fluid flow control device for permitting flow upon impact after being dropped comprised of housing means providing fluid inlet means and a cavity arranged below said inlet means, rupturable means projecting from said tum-operable means will be moved for rupture of said inlet means into said cavity and constructed to be ruprupturable means and a flow from inlet means to said cured by high pressure, momentum-operable means veroutlet means results.

tically-mounted 1n sa1d cavity, sa1d momentum-operable References Cited in the file of this patent means contacting said rupturable means and normally 5 preventing rupture of said rupturable means, said mo- UNITED STATES PATENTS mentum-operable means being movable downwardly to 2,717,042 Grant Sept. 6, 1955 permit rupture of said rupturable means, and outlet means 2,910,080 Wright Oct. 27, 1959 connected to said cavity whereby on impact said momen- 3,008,479 Mancusi Nov. 14, 1961 

8. A FLUID FLOW CONTROL DEVICE FOR PERMITTING FLOW UPON IMPACT AFTER BEING DROPPED COMPRISED OF HOUSING MEANS PROVIDING FLUID INLET MEANS AND A CAVITY ARRANGED BELOW SAID INLET MEANS, RUPTURABLE MEANS PROJECTING FROM SAID INLET MEANS INTO SAID CAVITY AND CONSTRUCTED TO BE RUPTURED BY HIGH PRESSURE, MOMENTUM-OPERABLE MEANS VERTICALLY-MOUNTED IN SAID CAVITY, SAID MOMENTUM-OPERBLE MEANS CONTACTING SAID RUPTURABLE MEANS AND NORMALLY PREVENTING RUPTURE OF SAID RUPTURABLE MEANS, SAID MOMENTUM-OIPERABLE MEANS BEING MOVABLE DOWNWARDLY TO PERMIT RUPTURE OF SAID RUPTURABLE MEANS, AND OUTLET MEANS CONNECTED TO SAID CAVITY WHEREBY ON IMPACT SAID MOMENTUM-OPERABLE MEANS WILL BE MOVED FOR RUPTURE OF SAID RUPTURABLE MEANS AND A FLOW FROM INLET MEANS TO SAID OUTLET MEANS RESULTS. 